Ning Rongrong glanced at Qi Lin, her heart stirring slightly.
"Could he also be a student at Shrek Academy?"
Suppressing the urge to step forward and introduce herself, Ning Rongrong instead offered him a refined smile, full of grace and dignity.
She looked every bit the noble young lady.
Of course, only those who truly knew Ning Rongrong understood—she was anything but a lady.
Qi Lin returned her smile with one of his own.
In his past life, plenty of people had criticized Ning Rongrong for acting like a spoiled princess. But Qi Lin didn't find her all that bad.
After all, wasn't she literally a princess?
No—more than a princess. Ning Rongrong's status surpassed even that.
Behind her stood not just the immensely wealthy Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, but also two doting Titled Douluo.
In such circumstances, how could she not have a bit of a princess complex?
Seeing the smile on Qi Lin's face, Ning Rongrong's mood improved greatly. Humming a soft tune, she followed Li Yusong's lead toward the second trial.
Only after she left did Flender speak up with obvious pride.
"Even the core heir of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan came here by name. Looks like our Shrek Academy does have some fame after all!"
As he muttered to himself, two more figures appeared at the academy gate.
One was a man dressed in a black robe, appearing in his forties or fifties, with a buzz cut, large lips, and average looks.
The other wore a form-fitting blue outfit. He wasn't particularly handsome, but standing next to the other man, his features seemed strikingly fresh and clean.
Flender immediately stood up in excitement upon seeing them.
"Xiao Gang! Tang San! I've been waiting for you two!"
Qi Lin also rose and greeted them with a wave.
"Grandmaster, Tang San, long time no see!"
Yu Xiaogang showed little reaction to Flender's enthusiasm and only offered a faint smile.
But the moment he spotted Qi Lin, his eyes lit up with a sharp gleam.
Qi Lin!
So he really did come to Shrek Academy!
With him here, they had at least a fifty percent chance of winning the upcoming Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament.
And more importantly, as long as Qi Lin was within the Academy, there was still hope—hope that he could persuade him to become his disciple.
Though Yu Xiaogang's spirit power wasn't high, he had always felt like a brilliant mind left unrecognized.
Back at Nuoding Academy, aside from Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Qi Lin, none of the other students could truly reflect the depth of his teachings.
Now that he was at Shrek, he would prove to Qi Lin just how he trained students.
He, Yu Xiaogang, would use his true ability to win Qi Lin over—to make him willingly become his student.
"Qi Lin, it's been a while."
"Where's Xiao Wu? I don't see her."
Qi Lin shrugged casually. "She just met a new friend. I think the two of them are exchanging cultivation insights."
"Ah, I see." Tang San nodded in understanding, then smiled.
"When did you arrive at Shrek Academy?"
"So, what do you think? Not bad, right? This place came highly recommended by our teacher."
"Looks like we'll be classmates again. That must be fate!"
"Hmm..." Qi Lin hesitated for a moment, then said, "Actually, I'm not a student at Shrek Academy."
"What?!"
Tang San wasn't the only one surprised—Yu Xiaogang's expression also tightened.
This was bad. If Qi Lin wasn't enrolled in Shrek, how could he recruit him as his disciple?
Tang San had his own worries: If Qi Lin wasn't at Shrek, then what about Xiao Wu?
"If you're not a student here, then why are you at Shrek Academy?" Tang San asked, puzzled.
Qi Lin grinned. "I'm not a student, but I could be a teacher."
"A teacher?!" Tang San and Yu Xiaogang exclaimed in unison.
"How could you be a teacher? You're only twelve!"
Yu Xiaogang was even more anxious than Tang San. If Qi Lin became a teacher, he wouldn't be eligible to compete in the tournament or to become his disciple!
Qi Lin replied with a light chuckle, "I may be twelve, but I'm a rank 48 Spirit Ancestor. You don't think I can guide a few students?"
"Besides, Grandmaster..."
"To train monsters, you need to be a monster yourself."
Qi Lin spoke with confidence. When it came to teaching, he actually had a good amount of experience.
He had even managed to teach someone as lazy as Xiao Wu—so what was there to fear from teaching others?
Yu Xiaogang was left flustered and could only mutter, "But you're so young... How could your experience possibly compare to ours?"
Qi Lin spread his hands.
"This world respects strength above all, doesn't it?"
"Besides, I haven't found anyone who can teach me. If that's the case, why not become my own teacher?"
Though he said it lightly, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San were clearly distressed.
Yu Xiaogang's ambitions were shattered. Tang San, meanwhile, realized he'd suddenly become a generation lower than Qi Lin.
Both of them instinctively turned to look at Flender—only to see him shrug helplessly.
Why are you looking at me? You think I can force him to be a student if he doesn't want to?
Seeing Flender's expression, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San could only accept the painful truth.
Sensing the tense mood, Flender quickly stepped in with a laugh to smooth things over.
"Alright, Xiao Gang, Tang San, since you've just arrived, let me give you a tour around the academy."
Tang San frowned. "Wait, don't I need to take the entrance exam?"
"Wouldn't it be unfair if I skipped it?"
Flender grinned. "Others may not know your capabilities—but I do."
"No need for any exam!"
Qi Lin raised an eyebrow when he heard that.
If even Tang San didn't need to take the exam, then in the end, wouldn't Ning Rongrong be the only one doing it?
Poor little support-type girl—how pitiful.
Just as Qi Lin's mind began to drift, Flender suddenly turned to him.
"Qi Lin, how about you handle that young lady's final test? Mu Bai's a power-attack type. He's not the best fit for judging a support-type spirit master."
He had two reasons for this.
First, as he said, a power-type spirit master like Dai Mu Bai wasn't suited to evaluate a support-type.
Second, given Dai Mu Bai's... tendencies, Flender was worried he might get himself into trouble with the heiress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Qi Lin nodded.
"Sure. I'll head over now."
Judging the exam of a pretty noble girl definitely beat hanging around with a group of men.
Once Qi Lin left, the Grandmaster immediately turned on Flender.
"Flender! How could you let Qi Lin become a teacher at Shrek? He's just a child!"
"He may be young, but you're not! How could you agree to this?"
Flender sighed. "What could I do? You tell me—who at Shrek is qualified to be his teacher?"
Yu Xiaogang pointed at himself, pride in his eyes.
"What about me? I've dedicated decades to the study of martial souls. Am I not qualified to be his teacher?"
"Xiao Gang, don't be ridiculous!"
"Qi Lin is a monster among monsters. Your theories might not even apply to him," Flender tried to explain.
But to someone as stubborn as the Grandmaster, this felt like a direct insult to his life's work.
His tone grew sharp. "Flender! We've known each other for so many years, and now you doubt my ability?"
"You know I didn't mean it that way!"
"Hmph! No need to explain. I'll prove it with action..."
"I, Yu Xiaogang, am the most suitable teacher for these little monsters!"
"And Tang San is the best proof!"